KARACHI:
Recently, I was blessed by the Almighty with the opportunity to perform Umrah. It was my first time travelling abroad and I was extremely excited. Upon landing, I proceeded towards immigration and remember walking for quite some time before reaching the counters. It was only then that I realised why we had been directed to the other end of the airport where officials were administering polio drops to travellers arriving from Pakistan. I felt embarrassed that Pakistani travellers alone had to undergo this procedure.
After completing immigration, I travelled to Makkah. Before leaving, I had been warned that there would be considerable pushing and shoving during tawaf, but to my surprise, the experience was peaceful. During tawaf and throughout my stay, I noticed that pilgrims from countries generally followed the instructions given by the guards. Pakistani pilgrims, however, were repeatedly reminded to do so. I also noticed that many foreign pilgrims had been briefed by family members or group leaders about performing the rituals and behaving appropriately inside the Haram.
This made me realise how important it is to prepare Pakistani pilgrims before they leave for Umrah, particularly those travelling from remote areas who may be unfamiliar with the rituals and expected conduct. Religious travel operators and the relevant authorities should provide proper briefings before departure. Our polio vaccination drives must continue, but improving vaccination coverage at home would help prevent Pakistanis from facing the embarrassment of being singled out for polio vaccination upon arrival abroad.
Muhammad Abdullah Khan
Islamabad
